News

Most people across the Auckland and Northland region want companies using Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) to be held strictly liable for damage, and in some areas most want a ban.

A poll conducted by a multi-council working group on regulation of GM organisms found that all communities strongly favour making users of GMOs legally responsible for any economic or environmental harm that may result.

She's not crowing, but Whangarei's Zelka Grammer is quietly pleased to have instigated action that led to frozen chicken manufacturer Inghams being rebuked for claiming that its chickens contain no genetically-modified ingredients.

Trans-Tasman food regulators knew nine years ago of the adverse effects of heating genetically modified (GM) crops, but still approved for human consumption a GM corn now withdrawn from Europe.

A Canterbury University research centre says Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) was aware of the consequences of heating to a certain temperature a high-lysine DuPont-Pioneer GM soybean before its approval in 2000.

Food Safety Minister Kate Wilkinson needs to ensure a comprehensive review of the labeling of genetically engineered (GE) food ingredients and GE food safety in New Zealand, now that 40 different GE food applications have been approved for use in New Zealand, including foods derived from 61 GE plant lines (1), according to the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand. Soil & Health says the latest approvals (2) have gone through despite an increase in evidence of the health risks from GE food.

French scientist Gilles-Eric Seralini unmasked the dangers of genetically modified brinjal, almost approved for commercial production in India. He shared with Savvy Soumya Misra his findings on Bt brinjal and Roundup Ready soybean

*On the data submitted on Bt brinjal by Mahyco for approval from the Indian government

The data submitted to the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (geac) of the Union environment ministry is not valid; it has not been signed by the scientist who conducted the tests. What is more scandalous is that the studies on the effects of Bt brinjal were conducted for just three months.

If the product is to be consumed by humans, the tests should have been for a period of at least two years—the lifespan of a rodent.

The recent opinion piece by Federated Farmers' John Hartnell painted an inaccurate picture of concerns about genetic modification. It also failed to appreciate why it is vital for New Zealand to protect its genetic modification-free production system.

New Zealand's GM-free status is worth potentially huge money for us says John Bostock.

The Hawke's Bay-based entrepreneur and food exporter said he made a significant premium on export maize to Japan and Korea compared with maize from the US which is now impossible to guarantee as GM-free.

He exported both conventional and organic food grade maize to these markets, where it is used for human consumption, making starch or animal feed.